Life's Cruelest Form of Torture
by mycarlydotcom
Summary: It's Freddie's birthday, but unfortunately he is stuck spending it at work and school instead of with his loving girlfriend, Sam.


**_Life's Cruelest Form of Torture:_**

**_Synopsis: _**It's Freddie's birthday, but unfortunately he is stuck spending it at work and school instead of with his loving girlfriend, Sam.

**_Setting: _**February 4th, and it's Freddie's birthday. Set just one month after the most recent installment of this timeline, **_Directing Traffic._**

**_General: _**Hey everyone! It's time for another brief installment of the **_Funny Business_** timeline. I intended to have this completed on February 4th to align with Freddie's actual birthday, but it seems like I fail to meet my deadlines more often than not lol. Regardless, this is just another short check in with our favorite couple, Sam and Freddie. Like I mentioned in my comments prior to **_Directing Traffic, _**the next large installment of this timeline is currently in the works, but we have a few pit stops to make before we get there, so stay tuned! If you're a first time reader, this story is just a piece of a much larger saga that I've crafted, feel free to check out the other installments if you feel interested. Thanks again to all who read!

**_Chapter I: Life's Cruelest Form of Torture_**

Freddie's hand sluggishly crept out from under the covers, reaching over to the nightstand and clicking the button on the side of his PearPhone to silence the alarm going off. After a few minutes of toiling with the reality that morning had rolled around and that it was time for work, he begrudgingly lifted his head from the pillow and sat up right. It was 5:30am and still dark outside. He actually didn't have to be at work until quarter after 7', but since moving into the new apartment with Sam, he had to account for the extra time his commute to work now took. It was certainly much easier when he was living at home over the summer and his job was just short fifteen minutes away.

Rubbing at his sleepy eyes with the back of his wrist, he sat in bed in a semi-awake daze. Despite a decent six and half hours of sleep, he still felt dead-tired as he woke. Of course, this was nothing new, over the past few years Freddie had gotten used to ebb and flow of going through these cycles where he would sometimes feel utterly exhausted from the daily goings-on of life; and right now was one of the lower points in the cycle.

It didn't help that his body had still not yet adjusted from the previously consistent work schedule that he had over the summer. Once University had started back up, that steady schedule went out the window and his work hours became unmanageably erratic. This resulted in no consistency throughout his weeks more often than not. Sometimes he'd be working early morning hours like he was today, and other times he would be working hours late into the night. Aside from the guaranteed stress it would induce over him, there was no consistency whatsoever, and it was draining.

As he sat there dreading the long day ahead of him, he looked to his side at his girlfriend, still asleep. Sam had not even budged despite Freddie's alarm blaring a few minutes earlier. He smiled at her as she slept peacefully beside him. _'This is my reason,'_ he reminded himself in his head as he covered her shoulders that had fallen out from underneath the blankets.

After sitting there contemplating his life for several minutes, he finally mustered up the strength to get out of bed, but just as he went to do so, a sudden tug on his arm stopped him for going anywhere. Sam had latched onto his arm with her own, and was holding tightly. Thinking she was asleep, he turned back to her and attempted to gently pull his arm away.

_"Don't go,"_ she uttered in a sleepy voice, her eyes still shut. Apparently she wasn't asleep after all.

He chuckled gently at her adorable plea. _"Babe, I got work,"_ he replied softly, _"I have to."_

_"Can't you stay in bed a bit longer?"_ one of her eyes slightly cracked open. _"I don't want you to leave."_

_"I don't want to leave either,"_ he said, _"But the rent isn't gonna pay itself."_

Letting out a sleepy, disappointed, groan in response, she relented and let him free of the grip she had around his arm. The desperation he felt to climb right back into that warm bed with his loving girlfriend was excruciating. This had be life's cruelest form of torture, Freddie thought to himself, but he had no choice but to deal with reality. He left the bedroom and proceeded to the kitchen to brew up some coffee to help wake himself up. After turning on the machine to brew up the fresh pot of coffee, Freddie headed to the bathroom for a quick shower.

After his shower, he dried off and headed back to the bedroom to get dressed for the day. He could smell the aroma of the freshly brewed coffee that permeated the apartment as he traveled from one room to the other. Upon reentering the bedroom, he was instantly met with Sam's lips.

_"Happy Birthday nub-head,"_ she wished him as she flung her arms around his neck.

_"Aw, you didn't have to wake up for me babe,"_ he told her, _"But thank you."_

_"I wanted to make sure I said Happy Birthday since you're gonna be out all day," _she shrugged.

_"Ughhh, don't remind me,"_ he groaned.

"_Sorry," _she pecked him on the lips again. _"I wish you didn't have to work today."_

"_Yeah, me too," _he wearily replied,_ "It's gonna be a long day."_

_"It's so ridiculous that they wouldn't let you take off for your birthday,"_ she said, referencing that Freddie's employer had denied his request for a day off.

_"I know, but they can do that since I'm technically a 'part-time' employee,"_ he replied, acknowledging that his part-time status at work allowed for foul play by management.

_"That's total chiz,"_ she retorted. _"You're 'part-time' by title only, but you work so hard. You're practically a full-time employee."_

_"I know, but what can I do,"_ he shrugged disappointedly, _"I petitioned for 'full-time' status, but they were able to shoot it down since I still go to school." _Freddie could have told his employer that he wasn't a University student, but then he would be running the risk of getting scheduled to work when he had class. School was important to Freddie so he had to show them his roster to avoid potential scheduling conflicts like that, but his boss certainly took advantage of that fact.

_"It's not fair,"_ she replied. _"You have to work for hours then go to school after that. That's a lame birthday."_

"_I'll live," _he shrugged it off.

_"__We're probably not even gonna be able to celebrate tonight, are we?" _she asked.

_"Probably not," _he shook his no. _"It'll be late by the time I get home."_

"_Lame," _she replied. _"I wanted to do something special for your birthday."_

_"__I appreciate the thought babe, but don't worry about it," _he smiled. _"Maybe we can celebrate the next time I have an off day."_

_"Yeah, so never..."_ she bluntly joked.

_"Uh-huh,"_ he joked back.

Chuckling, she let go of him and grabbed a hoodie she had left draped over the back of the computer chair in their bedroom. Pulling it over her head and slipping her arms in the sleeves, she asked, _"I smell coffee, did you make coffee?"_

"_Yeah," _he nodded as her grabbed his clothes from the dresser. _"You're not gonna go back to sleep?_ he asked, _"I thought you didn't have to babysit until noon?"_

_"I don't," _she confirmed,_ "But that coffee smells good. If not being able to go back to sleep after I have some is the price I gotta pay then so be it," _she joked as she exited the room.

Freddie then proceeded to get dressed for the day before following Sam out to the kitchen. She had already poured him a mug of coffee to go as he strolled in.

_"Here," _she handed it off to him as he entered the kitchen.

_"Thanks babe," _he grabbed his keys off the hook on the wall. _"Guess I better get going."_

_"Hold on a second," _she stopped him, gently grasping on his jacket.

He stumbled slightly as she tugged on him. _"Whatsup?" _he asked, staggering back to her.

_"Two things," _she told him. _"One, this,"_ she cutely pulled him in for a kiss. _"Secondly, do you want your present now, or later?" _she asked after pulling her lips away from his.

"_Present?" _he raised his eyebrows.

"_Mhm," _she smiled.

_"Uhhh, babe I don't think I have time for that right now,"_ he cheekily said with a flirtatious smirk.

_"Not your 'special' present nub-head!" _she playfully shoved him. _"You might not even get that if you're gonna be a dork about it."_

He chuckled.

_"But seriously, I have an actual present for you though," _she explained.

"_Babe, you know you didn't have to get me anything…"_

"_Oh c'mon," _she interrupted him. _"You pulled that 'no gifts' chiz over Christmas," _she argued, _"I'm not letting you do that again. I wanted to get you something, so I did."_

"_Okay, okay," _he relented with a smile.

"_So do you want it now or later?" _she asked again.

_"__Is it cool if we do it later? I really do have to get going so I'm not late for work," _he acknowledged.

"_That's fine," _she told him, _"It's your present, I'll give it to you when you get home."_

_"__Sounds good, I'll see you tonight then," _he pecked her on the lips one more time before heading out.

_"Mkay, __don't work too hard," _she joked as she followed him to the door.

**_Later that night…_**

It was just after 10:30pm when Freddie finally came strolling in after his arduous day at work that was followed by several hours at University. He was exhausted, and couldn't wait to pass out in bed. The apartment was quiet aside from a subtle noise echoing from his PearPad, which was over on the couch with Sam, who was already passed out herself. She must've fallen asleep watching some movie on Webflix while waiting for him. As he took off his jacket and threw it over one of the kitchen stools he noticed a little surprise on the counter. It was a birthday cake, Sam had made him one. He took a small piece and chuckled as he noticed a slice already missing, she had already partaken in it herself. Quickly scarfing down the piece of cake, he tossed his plate in sink, and approached the couch where Sam was. Slipping the PearPad out from under her sleepy, lifeless grasp, he turned off the movie it was still playing and shifted her legs slightly, taking a seat on the edge of the couch.

"_Hey, babe," _he gently patted her leg, _"I think it's time for bed, don't you?"_

"_Hmmm? What?" _she sleepily muttered in response. _"Freddie?" _her eyes cracked open.

"_C'mon, let's get you off this couch," _he grabbed her hand as lazily she sat up.

"_What time is it?" _she drowsily asked.

"_Only 10:30," _he smirked.

She chuckled in her semi-conscious state. _"Sorry, I fell asleep waiting for you to get home."_

"_You shouldn't have woken up when I did today, that's why you're so tired."_

"_Whatev," _she shrugged. _"I made you a cake, did you…"_

"_Mhm, I already had some," _he replied before she could finish her sentence, _"And thank you."_

She nodded with a smile.

"_C'mon, I'm tired too," _he tugged on her hand to get her off the couch. _"Let's get to bed."_

"_Wait, wait," _she tugged back, stopping him from standing up. _"Your gift."_

"_You're half asleep babe," _he chuckled. _"It can wait."_

"_Shhh, I want to give it to you," _she argued. Reaching over to the end table beside the couch, she grabbed what looked to be an envelope with presumably a birthday card inside. _"Here, open it."_

With a smile, he obliged, opening the envelope and revealing the birthday card inside, which jokingly read at the bottom…

'_Happy Birthday, I hate you - hate Sam' ;)_

As he had opened the card, the contents within had fallen out, face down into his lap. _"What are these?" _he asked.

"_Look at them," _she said.

Picking them up, he was elated to find two tickets to the upcoming Galaxy Wars convention that would be making a stop in Seattle soon. _"Whoa! Sam! You got me tickets for the Galaxy Wars convention?!"_

"_Happy birthday," _she smiled. _"I know how bad you wanted to go, so I thought I'd get us some tickets."_

"_Us?" _he smirked.

"_Yes, I'll go with you to your little dork fest convention," _she playfully rolled her eyes.

He laughed. _"Thank you, babe. This is so awesome! I hope they weren't too expensive."_

"_Don't worry about it," _she waved him off. _"I took a few extra babysitting gigs the past couple weeks to pay for them. It's no big deal."_

He cutely smiled at her.

"_Stop, don't make me feel all awkward and nubby," _she protested, to which he chuckled. _"Anyway, those are redeemable the entire week the convention is here, so don't worry about not having off for it. Whatever day you're available is when we'll go," _she explained.

"_Wow, you got it all planned out huh?"_

"_Mama gets it done," _she joked.

"_Well, thank you," _he reiterated to her.

"_You're welcome," _she pecked him lips. _"By the way, we're both tired as chiz, so I hope you're okay with taking a rain check on your 'special' present," _she joked.

"_For sure, I'm definitely too tired," _he agreed, _"But don't worry, I plan on cashing that check at my earliest convenience," _he jokingly continued.

"_Whatever, nub-head," _she playfully rolled her eyes again. _"Take me to bed."_

Laughing as he grabbed her hand, the two stood up from the couch and headed to the bedroom.


End file.
